A Broken Bed
by Hogwarts Duo
Summary: Funny things ... broken beds. But how should Charles Carson explain it and what really happened?


**A Broken Bed **

**Summary:** Funny things ... broken beds. But how should Charles explain it and what really happened?

"Whatever are you going to tell him, Charles?" Elsie Hughes looked down at the mess on the floor as her mind whirled with all sorts of questions and possible answers.

"Well, I certainly cannot tell him the truth, Elsie. Unless, of course, you'd like to go with me to explain the situation." He, too, was trying desperately to find some sort of explanation in his mind, something plausible that would not stir too many questions.

"I most certainly would not," she said sternly, a mere second before dissolving into a fit of quiet giggles.

"And what is so funny, may I ask?" Charles Carson pulled himself up to his full height and puffed out his chest, wondering what on earth she could have found to be so amusing in this situation.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Sorry. I just imagined you telling his Lordship that the reason you need a new bed is because we were ... well because ... we were a bit anxious and overzealous in our efforts to make the most of our time."

He shook his head and tried to hide the smile that was curling about his lips. "Well, when you put it that way, it does sound rather amusing, though I will admit that there was nothing funny about having to hide you in the corner when Mr. Bates knocked on the door to see if everything was alright."

She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his arms, both of them still staring at the broken bed. "Oh, I don't know. It was somewhat thrilling ... the thought of being caught and him working out exactly why your bed had broken." She ran her hands down his back and gripped his bottom, pulling him closer as she pushed her body into his.

"Elsie Hughes! Are you saying you enjoy the idea that we might be caught? Does that ... excite you?" he asked, his breath hot against her ear as his own hands began to roam over her body, which was still wrapped in his bed sheet.

"Let's just say that it's rather warm in here all of a sudden," she answered before pulling his head down to hers for a heated kiss. When they broke apart, Elsie smiled and rubbed her nose against his. "As I see it, we have two options. We can move the mattress the rest of the way onto the floor or we can leave it and simply go to my rooms or my sitting room downstairs."

Charles thought for a moment. "Your settee would be the wisest option, I'm sure, but not necessarily the most comfortable one for either of us, and we'd have to dress and go downstairs. I suggest we make the most of what's left of our evening right here."

Elsie wasted no time in moving the mattress to the floor and pushing the bed frame to the corner with Charles' help. Then she stretched out on a small portion of the mattress, spreading the sheet out and lifting the corner of it in a silent invitation for him to join her. "I do believe, Charles Carson, you were just about to ... what was it you said right before the bed snapped? Oh yes ... you were going to make me forget my own name while I was begging for more."

He offered her a sheepish grin, thinking how foolish it sounded out of context. He knelt down beside her and reached out to lightly caress her cheek. "Said in the heat of the moment. Do you think me silly, now?"

She only smiled and sat up on her knees as she forced him down onto his back. She took both of his hands in hers and placed them over his head as she straddled his hips. When he started to move one of his hands to her hips, she smacked his hand away and shook her finger at him. "If you won't hold to your promise of making me beg, then I'll simply have to show you how it's done. Then maybe you'll feel a bit more comfortable returning the favor," she answered, leaning down to nibble seductively on his bottom lip as she rocked her hips teasingly against his.

He groaned and arched his hips against hers, earning him a playful slap on the chest, which she promptly soothed with a kiss. Soon, she was trailing kisses, nips, and seductive swirls of her tongue along his chest and stomach, her destination already showing itself to be hard and needy.

She took her time stroking him, caressing him, arousing him. She blew a warm breath over his tip before swirling her tongue around his crown to taste him while her fingertips lightly swept up and down his shaft, causing him to shudder in delight. She toyed with him for several long, delicious moments before she lowered her head once more and took as much of him into her mouth as possible, not stopping until she was certain he was utterly spent. Kissing her way back up his body, she finally stretched out on top of him, nuzzling the side of his neck and leaving a telling mark just below where his collar would be in the morning.

"You, my dear woman, have no idea the things I'm going to do to you once I recover," he threatened with a sly grin.

"I shall hold you to that, Mr. Carson. But for now, I believe it's best if we simply cuddle for a little while before I have to return to my own room." And so all talk ceased except for the occasional whispered words of love and tenderness.

In the morning, Charles knocked lightly on Elsie's sitting room door. She called for him to enter, feeling her cheeks warm with a faint blush, knowing where he'd just been. "Well, are you going to tell me?" she asked impatiently.

"I shall be going into Ripon this afternoon to select a new bed." There was a distinct glint of happiness in his eyes, leading her to believe there was more to the story.

"And what, exactly, did you tell him was the reason for your bed breaking?" she asked, curious to hear more of the conversation.

"I didn't tell him the truth, if that's what you're asking."

"I'm asking what you told him. In case you've forgotten, I was there, and I know the truth."

"I simply reminded him that the bed was rather old, and that I had gained a few stones since my footman days."

"My brilliant, handsome man," she said with a smile and a shake of her head. "I adore you."

"I hope you'll adore me even more when you hear that I've suggested you go into town with me to choose a bed for yourself."

"YOU WHAT?" she asked, standing up and eyeing him dangerously.

"You heard me. I suggested that since the beds were most likely purchased around the same time, he might consider buying you a new one as well. He agreed with my suggestion, and you and I are to choose something we like and have it delivered first thing in the morning, if possible. He even went so far as to suggest we get ourselves slightly larger beds so we'd be more comfortable."

Elsie couldn't believe her ears. Lord Grantham was actually giving them permission to go bed shopping together, for them to get two new beds, and larger ones at that. Could their day get any better, she wondered to herself. "And did he say where you're to sleep this evening since the bed won't be here until tomorrow or quite possibly later in the week? Surely he's not going to make you sleep on the mattress on the floor."

"Indeed, he is not." He took a few steps closer to her until he could wrap his arms around her waist and brush his lips against her ear. "I am to sleep in the men's corridor, the red room at the end of the hallway, until the new bed arrives."

"But that's ... "

"Indeed it is. It's the bedroom most removed from everyone else on the men's corridor, and I have it on good authority that his Lordship rarely sleeps in his own rooms these days. Perhaps, Mrs. Hughes, you would accompany me upstairs ... so that I might show you the way to the room. I'm sure you would like to see that fresh sheets are put on it for this evening."

She gave him a little squeeze and kissed him hard on the lips. "I shall make it my top priority to see that you have everything you need in that room this evening, Mr. Carson. I take my job very seriously and would hate for you to be left wanting."

"Indeed, Mrs. Hughes, indeed. So, shall we head upstairs to assess the situation and then walk into the village to choose our new, larger beds? We should probably stretch out on the upstairs bed for a moment so we'll have some idea of how wide the new ones need to be and to make sure we have appropriate linens for our new beds as well."

She kissed him once more and brushed her hand over the front of his trousers. "Might I suggest you take a little nap this afternoon. I have a feeling you're going to need your strength for a very active evening. I've had all morning to think about what you might do for me the next time we're able to be together, and I have some new ideas for you. And a deserted corridor is just the place to forget our names."

**The End.**

**A/N:** The idea for the broken bed was born during a chat with a friend about the tiny beds the servants have, and of course that led to Charles and Elsie "M'ness" and the story is the result of my plot bunny. Enjoy!


End file.
